Helpful reviews of many eco friendly products and brands, who to use who to loseEco friendly products have been a "little" obsession for me for the past 15 years or so. It all began with an article that I read regarding the dangers of aluminum that is in antiperspirants. I went to the local health food store (very small and limited selection) and found a salt stick deodorant. It was s chunk of salt crystal that you had to get wet and rub underneath your underarm. It worked on the principal that salt destroys bacteria. Well for a little while it worked. Eventually I found some natural roll on deodorants that worked better and all was well. From there I started to notice eco friendly products for the home and our bodies slowly creeping into the stores. It is absolutely amazing how much has changed in the past 5 years! Eco friendly products for your most valuable asset, your body.
Just stroll into any store and grab a bottle of body lotion, shampoo or soap. How many of the ingredients can you pronounce? How many ingredients can you identify what they are made of? Think about how many products you put on your skin on any given day. They all sink in, they all cover your largest organ with toxic sludge. I don't want to scare you but this is a pretty serious consideration. Yoga detoxifies the body, don't put more on! As a minimum, look for products that are paraben and propylene glycol free. Mineral oil (baby oil) actually disrupts the skin's ability to work effectively and retain moisture. Coconut oil can be used for baking and for smoothing and hydrating your skin and hair. Seriously, you can eat it, now that's safe to put on your body. Shea butter is a good alternative to petroleum jelly. Shaki is a great brand for regular body lotion. My favorite deodorant that actually works is Kiss My Face Active Enzyme. It actually neutralizes the bacteria that causes odor, it comes in several scents and unscented. Look for Tom's of Maine toothpaste. It has no harsh chemicals, many do not contain fluoride ( shown to have adverse side effects on the body) and like the rest of their products is safe and natural. I also really like their body wash. Oh my, Jason makes a Satin Body wash in Rose Glycerin. It is absolutely amazing!! Their other scents also rock but this one reminds me of being a little girl, playing around my mom's rose garden. Their lotion also seals the deal. It's also great for shaving as it has glycerin, so it makes your legs so slick the razor glides across effortlessly. LUSH Handmade Cosmetics is my #1 indulgence. I absolutely love their fresh masks, bath balls, facial cleansers and hard shampoo disks. Their products are vegetarian, not tested on animals and safe for you! Self-care extends to feminine hygiene products as well. You can get chlorine free, and organic cotton feminine products. These are available at most larger retailers. Think eco friendly products and safety for baby too. Chlorine in disposable diapers can react with the urea in urine and cause skin irritation. Look for chlorine free, bio-degradable diapers. There are so many products for baby that are safe ans natural. I still but Jason For Kids only shampoo. It smells so good and is PH balanced . Mineral oil (baby oil) is a by-product of petroleum production. Along with it's cousin Vaseline, we are told to coat our babies in toxic waste! These chemical compounds actually alter the skin's top three layers' ability to work effectively and retain moisture naturally. Many baby and Earth friendly products are available. I used Mustela when my boys were little, it smells great and safe. Shea butter is a good alternative to petroleum jelly. Eco friendly ways to clean your clothes. Because so much chemical exposure occurs in the home, it is a great place to start. Chlorine bleach is toxic for our lungs and skin, damages the eco system and is impossible to "remove" from the water supply that goes back into our streams and lakes. An Earth friendly alternative is oxygen bleach. Oxy Clean is one brand and almost every big box grocery chain carries Seventh Generation, or Biokleen in the cleaning section of the natural foods department. These products safely whiten whites and brighten clothing. They break down to hydrogen. Speaking of laundry, your best bet for detergents is one that is soy based, free of dye and artificial fragrance. You will notice a lack of sudsing, the positive side effect is that there is less residue on your clothing. No more itchy skin from harsh chemicals! There are a few brands that I have used. Ecos lemongrass scent smells heavenly. Seventh Generation has many natural scents and unscented. They both do a good job at cleaning and can be used for pre-treating. I also use Costco's natural brand detergent. Ecover makes a stain remover that is just about the best one that I have ever used. It has a handy little brush to scrub the stain away. These products can also lessen the fading and wear on your clothes. Many dry cleaners are switching to greener chemicals that have a lesser impact on the environment and your body. Bring on an eco friendly clean home! Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day is a great brand that covers all your cleaning needs. I have the all purpose cleaner for use in both the kitchen and bath. It has an extremely strong fragrance, I dilute it a little more than they say to. The lemon verbena is so awesome, I got the shower spray too. Caldrea is another eco friendly products brand that I use. I have the counter cleaner, dishwasher detergent and dish soap in basil blue sage. These products are natural, safe, and smell amazing!! When I soak the pots in the sink, the soft wafting fragrance fills the house. Biokleen Bac_Out is my #1 choice for de-dogging my house. I use it to neutralize pet stains on the carpet. I pre-treat dark laundry that can't be bleached (ie husband's socks and workout clothes), then I pour some right in the washer. It is a lime peel extract and live enzyme culture cleaner. Professional carpet cleaners use it, it really does the job. Some dishonorable mentions are Clorox "green" cleaners. They bubble up too much and smell artificial. Shame on them! Windex also copycatted it's way onto the eco friendly products bandwagon. These mega corporations can't stand that their market share is slipping. I have found that their widow cleaner smells harsh and is very drying on my hands. Earth Friendly Products Ultra Dishmate dish liquid comes in an amazing array of natural scents. My favorites are Pear, Almond and Grapefruit. Look for biodegradable paper plates and forks, garbage bags and diapers that are chlorine free. Remember to check back as I will update this article.
Green nest is a company that sources eco friendly home products.
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